Affairs of the Ancients
by noirchienne
Summary: Your employer explicitly trusts you but you can't wholly trust your employer. Trust that they keep secrets from you and you had best not try to find out what those are... please R
1. Default Chapter

Black doggie disclaims: I do not own the character…although I wish I did…

Gabriel Van Helsing scoured the room, which had once belonged to Count Dracula. There was nothing but opulence everywhere he looked. Unfortunately, none of that was of great importance to Gabriel. The Order had made it clear they wanted him to find Dracula and any remaining vampire. Gabriel wished that Dracula had been careless enough to leave something that would set him on the right track to the others of his kind. That was wishful thinking, of course. Dracula was as methodical as he was ruthless. Hide all evidence of vampiric encounters. Hide all evidence of a vampiric banquet.

Behind him, the door opened and Carl entered. He had a haggard look as if he hadn't been sleeping, which was exactly the case. "Gabriel, let's go have some food at the inn. I'm famished. And then after that, we'll get some rest and then we can resume our work."

Gabriel turned to him, "You go ahead, Carl. I just need one last look around."

"You sure?"

"Yes, friar." He answered, picking up a book on the table.

Carl shrugged. Gabriel must be coming on to something, Carl thought. Well, I hope it'll help us one way or another. Silently, he closed the door behind him and left.

When he heard the click of the door, Gabriel glanced behind him and sighed. He _did_ want to eat but something pushed him to stay. A gut feeling told him he was close to something. Very close.

_Thud._

"Ah, shit!" Gabriel exclaimed when his knee hit the leg of the table. In the process, he had dropped the book. He was rubbing his knee when something glittered and caught his eye. He bent down and smiled.

"Gotcha!"

"Beer, sir?"

"A pint please."

The innkeeper nodded and waddled to the kitchen. Carl sat back and sighed. How long were they going to stay in this forsaken town? Well, as long as it takes until they find some clue that would lead them to other vampires. Sure, when Dracula died, all those he had made would die too but what about the smart guy _who_ _made_ Dracula? Would he die too? Carl and the Order didn't think so. By now, that guy would have made hundreds of vampires. It was up to Gabriel and him to destroy them all. That is if they can find any clues to their whereabouts.

He looked around. He had chosen this table for a good reason. He could see who came and left the inn. He could see the barmaid doing her rounds. It was nearly sunset but there was still enough light outside. Vampires wouldn't be out, not yet anyway. Beside him, a group of farmers burst into raucous laughter.

Carl smiled. At least they felt happy and safe. He wondered if these people knew how hard they worked to keep monsters off their backs, how long Carl stayed up to make the perfect arsenal, how dedicated Gabriel was to the Order's cause.

_I know, Carl._

He jumped in his skin. Where had that voice come from? He looked around, trying to put a face to that voice. It was a lovely contralto and it sent shivers down his spine. Only two people would have that voice. One was a middle-aged woman going up the stairs but she was too far away to say something that only he could hear. Then there was suspect number two. She was a young woman, no older than twenty, talking to the mistress of the inn. She wore a coat with lavish fur trimmings over a red velvet traveling dress. Her hair was down up in a tight chignon with a few ringlets framing her face. Beside her was a younger woman about eighteen. She too was in rich traveling clothes with a bonnet on her head. Dark curls tumbled down to her shoulders, a beautiful contrast to her pale skin. The younger woman was frowning, probably impatient to get to her room or probably disgusted that they would have to sleep in a dingy inn. The older woman nodded and handed the inn mistress a bag of coins. She took the younger woman's hand and led her towards the stairs.

_We'll see each other soon, Carl. Very soon, I hope._

He got up and started to walk towards them. They were already climbing up the stairs when the younger woman turned to him. Then she smiled.

The smile turned into a grin. And that was when he saw the fangs.

_Fangs._

He ran towards them but they had already disappeared around a corner. Carl looked around. To wait for Gabriel or to go ahead and have a chat with them. He fingered the crucifix that hung around his neck. There was a canister of holy water in his pouch and somewhere in his vestment were two stakes. On one hand, he could take them on in broad daylight. He looked at the setting sun. Two vampires in broad daylight! What madness! He had better wait for Gabriel. If the sun had not killed them, he doubted a stake through the heart would.

"Sir, is anything the matter?" The mistress of the inn asked.

"Uh, Mistress, could you please tell me which room those two women just now have taken?" He asked politely.

"Oh, them princesses! They've taken the best room in the house. It's on the third floor, the last door on your right, sir."

"Thank you, Madam."

Before she could reply, Carl was out of the door. Where was Gabriel when he needed him? He scanned the crowd for that infamous figure. Suddenly he bumped into someone who let out an expletive.

"I am sorry!" Carl stammered as he faced the man. "Van Helsing!"

Gabriel looked at him, "What are you doing bumping into people? And why are you looking like you've seen a ghost?"

"I have seen a ghost!" He blurted out, "Dracula's ghost in the form of two women!"

"What in the world are you talking about? Have you had too much to drink?"

Carl stopped to catch his breath, "Two vampires are here."

"Two?" Gabriel's eyes widened. "Where are they? Where did you see them?"

Between breaths, Carl recounted what had just happened to him. "They're upstairs, Gabriel."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Gabriel patted his back and dashed into the inn.

Carl shook his head. Had Gabriel been listening to him? There was something about those two vampires. If the sunlight didn't kill them, what will? Muttering, he followed Gabriel into the inn and up the stairs.

"Which room?"

"There." He pointed to the last door on their right.

Gabriel took out two silver stakes and crept down the hallway. Two vampires in the open. Gabriel wondered if they knew anything about Dracula. Then he remembered the ring he had found in the Count's room. Well, he'll just tell Carl about it later.

He stopped just outside the door. When he was sure that Carl was close enough to give back up, he kicked the door and entered with Carl following suite. He stopped in his tracks. He was prepared to kick the vampires to hell but he wasn't prepared for the sight before him. There were seven people sitting around a blazing hearth.

Each one of them was a vampire.

They were dressed in recent styles, cut and tailored in the best of velvets and silks. Among them, Carl could see the two women he saw a while ago. They all turned to him but they weren't shocked; they had been expecting him. They were beautiful, even the four men looked too pretty to be real. Girlish curls tumbled down the sides of their faces, which were pale with a tinge of pink on the cheeks. One had the curls tied back with a black satin ribbon. It seemed he was the leader among the seven. He held himself proudly but there was a playful smirk on his face.

Carl turned to the door and tried it but even though it was unlocked, it held fast. He tugged but it wouldn't open. He turned to Gabriel and there was a hint of panic in his eyes.

"Please," The one who had his hair tied back said, "Don't be frightened." He came forward and gave his hand, "Gabriel Van Helsing, right? And you must be his comrade, Carl, from the Holy Order."

Gabriel nodded and gingerly shook his hand, "I am."

"I think this shocks you, maybe it even horrifies you." He swept his arm to mean the scene before them, "I think you are used to seeing the younger ones." He took his place among the six. "I am Einar. They are Ami (a red head, Carl observed), Druce (he looked like Einar's twin or at least his brother) and Morgan (he had Arab features)." He said as he pointed to the other men. Then he proceeded to introduce the women, "And they Alyanna (a little girl not more than ten), Cerys (the older woman Carl had seen) and Lia (the younger woman)."

"I don't think he knows about us!" Alyanna spoke glancing at him.

Gabriel forced a laugh, "Yes, I don't think I know any vampires other than Dracula and his brood."

"Vampire indeed." Alyanna muttered, turning away.

Gabriel was about to answer when Carl, intercepted him. "Younger ones? You said something about younger ones. Do you mean that there are…older ones?"

Lia laughed along with the others. "Do you really think that Dracula is the oldest? That he is the seed that gave birth to all other vampires? Dear me, was has the Order been telling you!"

"So there are older ones?" Gabriel asked; his interest and curiosity piqued.

"There are! Far older than you can imagine!" She answered, looking sideways at the others, "Even they have forgotten how old they are."

"But the elders," Gabriel started, "Do they allow such slaughters as what the Count has done?"

There was an awkward silence. The seven vampires glanced at each but Carl noticed that Cerys kept her eyes on the floor. It was as if Gabriel had touched on something they were not willing to talk about, most of all Cerys. But then she stood up and took Gabriel's arm.

"Tonight we go to the Count's palace. If you have nothing else to do, you may come with us and we will answer your questions. At least those that we feel can be answered."

"We will go." Gabriel stammered, glancing at Carl.

"But first you must eat." Cerys said.

"Thank you but I have already eaten." Carl said.

"Your friend hasn't." She pointed out before pulling a cord that hung from the ceiling. "Please, dine to your heart's delight and let not our presence curb your appetite."

The others were ushered by Ami into an adjoining room. Gabriel was led to a seat next to the fireplace. Carl sat opposite him. Cerys followed the others into the room and closed the door.

Carl turned to Gabriel and there was murder in his eyes. "What are you doing? Going to the Count's place with seven vampires! Have you gone completely insane?" He burst out.

"Don't be an ass!" Gabriel retorted.

"Well, then, how do you suppose you can fight seven vampires?"

"I've fought hundreds before!"

Carl rolled his eyes, "Not all in one go!"

"Yes I know but fighting Dracula was like fighting a hundred all at once!" He glanced at the door through which the vampires had disappeared, "Besides, I don't think they're going to do any harm."

"How do you know?"

Gabriel shrugged. Just then, the door opened and a maid entered with a small cart filled with plates of food. There were two jugs of wine and a steaming bowl of soup. She pushed it until it was beside the table, then curtsied and left.

Carl raised his brow, "Do vampires eat?"

"If they did, they eat like kings!" Gabriel scanned the different dishes, "Well, shall we?"


	2. chapter 2

**Black doggie says:** Man, David Wenham is cute but the monk's hairstyle doesn't fit him. Cheers to him and to the immortal Count Dracula!

Overhead the moon shone brightly even though it was only a crescent. Gabriel stepped outside and shivered. It was on a night like this when Anna had died. He pushed the memory of her to the back of his mind. Right now, he needed his wits and not memories of someone he would miss.

"Damn it all."

Carl walked up and stood beside him, "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"I am sure."

"Are you sure we have enough arsenal to destroy them if need be?"

"No."

"Then what are assurance can you give that we will get out alive?"

"We will get out alive." He turned to Carl, "Trust me."

"Well, that's something I've always done and where has that led to?"

From a far, the sound of hooves echoed through the night. Soon a carriage appeared, pulled by a team of four magnificent black horses. Morgan, the driver, turned to them and smiled, his fangs appearing just above his lower lip. He pulled the team to a stop just in front of them.

Tipping his hat, he said, "May this be a night you will never forget!"

"I do think it will be!" Carl murmured under his breath as he followed Gabriel into the carriage.

Plush velvet seats in deep purple greeted them inside. The floor was also covered with a Persian rug. On one side sat Cerys and Lia. They had changed into simpler traveling clothes in somber colors. Both wore cloaks with hoods. In the dark, their pale faces and glinting eyes stood out.

Cerys was looking out of the window. When she turned her gaze to them, Gabriel noticed the change in her expression. A while ago, her face was soft with melancholy and thoughtfulness but now, her face was hard and her eyes flashed with some strong emotion.

Lia spoke up, "I hope you are feeling all right."

"We are." Carl answered, "Thank you for your concern. Where are the others?"

"Oh, they couldn't come. They had some business to finish elsewhere."

"What exactly are we going to do tonight?" Gabriel asked.

"We're going to the Count's castle to finish off all the other remaining vampires."

"What?" Gabriel was taken aback, "I finished them all!"

"Not quite." Cerys said, fingering her hood. "You see, on the night you were there, several vampires were gone on an errand. Dracula also made his coven to be the exact image of any other coven."

"So there are other covens?"

"Hundreds all over the world, each housing about a hundred vampires at any given time." Lia replied with a smile.

Cerys nodded, "In a coven house, there are three underground levels that can be reached through a special doorway that can only be opened with a special key. Those underground levels are where the vampires, usually the younger ones, are housed."

"So you're saying that we'll find more undead there?"

Lia snorted, "Undead indeed! What a word!" She leaned forward, "Yes, there are more vampires there. The lowest level houses the youngest vampires, the newly born children. The next level lodges the elder vampires, those who have controlled the blood lust. The highest level houses those who are more or less, a millennium old."

Carl frowned, "Wait a moment. Then who lives in the castle?"

"The ten seneschals, the elder and those who are over a millennium old. They are the ones who control when the others will feed."

"Why do they do that?" Gabriel asked.

Cerys gave a knowing glance at his direction, "So that we won't attract any attention."

They were now moving up a mountain slope. Outside, he could see the valley dappled with moonlight. The shadowy fingers of nearby mountains stood against the sky like menacing fingers. Somewhere, a wolf howled and was answered by other howls.

Morgan's voice rang from outside, "They give greetings and warnings. They know we are coming but what our purpose maybe is hidden from them."

"Shyla would have told them about this. Expect that she will be at the gates." Cerys responded in a commanding voice.

"I wonder if I can play with her…" Lia said dreamily.

"You will do no such thing!"

(Gabriel and Carl wondered who Shyla was and what was her relation to the three vampires).

Lia shrugged and turned to them, "A little background about us will do you good." She glanced at Cerys, "There are seven Ancients, the oldest of all vampires and from whom all vampires come from. The sun no longer has any power over them. They are the true immortals."

"Where these Ancients? Does anybody know them?" Carl asked as he leaned forward.

"No. Nobody except the Elders know whom the Ancients are. They're somewhere in this world. They travel from coven to coven, checking that the covens follow laws laid down by them."

Cerys continued, "We follow a strict hierarchy. The older you are, the higher your rank. This applies to a coven. The oldest in the coven becomes the Elder, the Ancients' eyes, ears and mouth. It is the Elder who carries out the sentence given by the Ancients to any erring member. Second in command are the ten seneschals. It is they who act as the police force, bringing to the Elder, those who do not follow the laws."

"And what are these laws?" Gabriel questioned.

Lia waved her hand, "There are only a few. Do not kill unscrupulously; kill only that which is enough to quench your thirst. Do not kill mercilessly as if you were a rabid dog." She tapped her cheek, "Ah, yes! Show respect to your elders. Do not kill inside the coven. Hide all evidence of a kill. Bury your prey."

"Do not use your powers to dazzle a human with your powers and then leave him. That will drive him mad." Cerys added, "Bewitch him only if you intend to give him the Blood or if you intend to feed upon him." At this Carl grimaced. "Do not make a vampire who cannot support himself outside the coven. In other words, do not make a child into a vampire."

"But what about Alya—"

Cerys interrupted Carl, "Follow pacts made with society. Do not show any mortal to your coven unless you mean to turn them into one like us. Do not blurt anything that has to do with the coven. All that happens in the coven stays in the coven. Do not kill one of your kind even if he were a rogue vampire ("A vampire who belongs to no coven because he was kicked out as a punishment or else his maker didn't belong to a coven." Lia added), unless the death sentence is given."

The howling grew louder as they drew nearer to the Count's castle. Gabriel peered outside and he could see wolves running behind the carriage. Thick hedges grew along the roadside but Gabriel could see glittering eyes gazing up at them. He fancied he even saw fangs ready to devour them. Suddenly, a wolf leapt from the hedge and attached itself to the carriage door. Then before their eyes the wolf transformed into a man. Quickly, Gabriel pulled out a short sword and swiped it at him.

He snarled and tried to snatch Gabriel from his seat. Cerys hissed and before the man could turn to her, she had his neck in her hand. In an instant, her nails had cut through the flesh, killing him. Then she flung him outside.

"Morgan, faster!" She cried.

Morgan cracked his whip and stood up. The team screamed and pushed on. A little way ahead, a group of wolves had blocked the road. The horses saw this and reared and stamped. The wolves were crouching, snarling and ready to pounce at them. Morgan laughed, a high cold laugh that rang in the air and chilled Carl and Gabriel's blood.

"Scum bugs!" He shouted. He flourished his hand and then all the wolves burst into flames. They yelped and rolled out of the way but the flames were not extinguished.

Gabriel stuck his head out of the window but Cerys pulled him back in. "Last of all but not the least, do not make vampire or kill either a vampire or a human out of spite or jealousy. You may be immortal but inside is a human heart and it is by this heart that all laws are made and all actions must be based upon."

He could see another change in her face. They softened and her eyes looked away as if she were recalling some memory. Then abruptly, they became hard, "Come. I have a death sentence to carry out."

They turned a bend and then they were going up a grand driveway. The castle loomed before them, a sinister figure. They stopped a few meters from the huge doors that opened into the courtyard. Stepping outside, they looked up at the vine-covered walls.

"Well, I'll be damned!" Carl cried out, kissing the crucifix that hung around his neck.

Wolves had gathered around them. They sat on the ground with a snarl on their face. Obviously, they were waiting for someone higher up in ranking to give an order. Then before them, dust swirled and shifted. Lia narrowed her eyes and hissed. The dust gathered until it resembled the shape of a woman. Then it did become a woman.

She had long red hair that fell in curls. Her lips were bright and wet with blood. She smiled and greeted them, "Hello, Morgan…Cerys…" She turned to Lia and her eyes danced with hellfire, "Hello, Lia."

Lia threw her hood back, "Hello, Shyla. What a pleasant greeting you gave us."

"Oh, yes! Dracula and I expected this visit to happen sooner or later." She giggled, "Well, it's sooner than I thought!"

"Will you let us in or must we fly over the walls, heaving our guests along with us?" Morgan asked curtly.

She turned to Gabriel and Carl, "Oh, no! Come in! Come in!"

Shyla ushered them inside. The wolves surrounding them had changed into their human shape and they too followed. As they walked under a tall arch and into the courtyard, Carl couldn't help wondering if he had already signed his death certificate by trusting Gabriel and following him into the lions' den…

**Black doggie apologizes:** Sorry about the abrupt change in the previous chapter from the Count's castle to the inn. I don't know what happened (or how for that matter) but the three asterisks I put there to signal a break are gone. I'm too lazy to upload a corrected version so please, pardon that mistake.

Thanks. Smile


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